Samsung Using Apple-Like Methods For Keeping Galaxy S III Under Wraps

I think it’s safe to assume that Samsung is preparing the Galaxy S III for its world wide debut any month now. If Samsung hopes to beat the iPhone 5 out of the gate — and they do — that means the Galaxy S III must be undergoing not just internal testing, but carrier testing as well. What’s strange is despite all of that, with a device as lustworthy as Samsung’s upcoming flagship, why haven’t we seen it yet? No leaks? No peaks? Not a single slip up. ‘Nuffin.

Well, according to sources over at ETNews, Samsung could be employing Apple-like methods for keeping the Galaxy S III shrouded in mystery. Apparently, Samsung is actually keeping the device in disguise while it’s being tested, with the device enclosed in a casing not unlike we’ve seen from Apple who requires a similar practice for employees whenever they take an upcoming iPhone out into the wild.

Looks like it might not be up until the even of the device’s launch, that we’ll actually get a real sneak peak at the Samsung Galaxy S III. I, for one, can’t wait to see what Samsung has come up with. With the HTC One X stealing Android hearts left and right, it’d better be good.

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Why do that method? Are they expecting people to wait in line for that phone also?

http://twitter.com/gamercore Chris Chavez

They really, really are. Especially if they can pull off this global simultaneous release of the device. It’s going to be huge for them.

http://www.swornbrotherhood.com/ nemesys06

this phone is more worthy of a line than any product Apple has put out. I’ll be waiting in line for it. If only there was a Samsung store here.

Marsg

I just hope it doesn’t flop, we have such high expectations for it, but Samsung hasn’t let us down yet when it comes to high end smart phones. lol the samsung galaxy s2 is still one of the best android phones out there and its like what 1 year and 2 months old

JBrowne1012

Not even… Its more of 6 months in America

Marsg

No way the galaxy nexus was introduced in December which was 5 months ago, the galaxy s2 has been in the U.S. longer than that, but just because it wasn’t available to the U.S. till November 6th doesn’t mean it wasn’t already in the market. Im also going by the time the galaxy s2 was actually revealed which was in February 2011 at MWC

Andrew

I disagree, the first iphone when it was released was probably more worthy, simply because without it this whole market wouldn’t have been where it is today. :P

Papapau

I disagree, the first touchscreen smartphone IBM Simon, designed in 1992, was probably most worthy.
simply because without it this whole market wouldn’t have been where it is today. :P

P.S. What a nonsense opinion.. how long farther back would you like to go? Invention of mobile phone by Motorola? or up to Alexander Graham Bell?

Andrew

How is it a nonsense? Sure IBM released the technology, but apple really mainstreamed it. Apple didn’t invent any new technology, like all the other releases your talking about, the invention of technology doesn’t mean much unless people like it and use it so when something as successful as the iphone is released its a big deal.. And don’t take me for a fanboy, I hate what company apple has become.
Also, its not an opinion its a fact, Like all the things you stated. The market would not be where it is without the release of those things. I don’t see what point your making…

Papapau

My point? I was preventing you from being a backward thinker.

The mobile world will not halt if Apple didn’t enter the scene. We will just be in a different technology or maybe even better (like Project Glass).

You going backwards is really non-sense. What if I remind you that motorola made the mobile phone market? “The market would not be where it is without the release of those things. I don’t see what point your making..”

So, is the Galaxy S3 worth it?
That’s right, go forward and not back on your hay-days.

Andrew

@Papapau:disqus I never said the market would have halted if apple didn’t enter, it would just be at a completely different point than it is, while the s3 isn’t really changing anything its sticking with the improve specs and such method we’ve seen since the iphone was introduced. Also, I don’t understand what you mean by me being backwards.. I never said the s3 was going to be a bad release or anything of the sort, its just not that big of one. I’m excited about the release too, I love all new android phones that get released and that companys are determined to outdo each other. I’m sorry but I just don’t quite understand that last post.

I think your mistaking my point. All I was saying is the OP poster made a wrong point by saying the s3 release will be bigger than any Apple has made, when the OG iphone announcement was a much bigger event than it.
Ps. You took my statement about the market out of context, I was simply agreeing, stating the fact that without all the releases you mentioned the market would not be where it is today. I don’t understand why you would bring that up in a counter argument.

spicymeatball

The open handset alliance was created and the first android phones were already being developed before iphone. Did iPhone bring some functionality to market first like pinch to zoom, yes. Did they invent it? No!
Android was destined to thrive with the concept of the open handset consortium. So different than Apple and it’s over reaching ideology.

Just curious have you seen a lot of Android fans on your iphone sites? I don’t go out and troll so I’m just curious.

rockstar323

The OHA was founded 5 months after the first iPhone was released and almost a year after it was announced.

While Apple didn’t invent the touchscreen they led the way in making it the standard it is today. Mostly because they built a good looking touchscreen device that worked and was responsive, unlike the WM touchscreens of that time. Plus they have countless followers that would buy dog sh*t from them as long as it had an Apple logo on it. If you remember, Google showed a demo of Android running on a touchscreen device as well as a Blackberry looking device around the same time the OHA was founded and who’s to say that Google didn’t push for that touchscreen device after seeing the iPhone take off. If the original iPhone would have flopped, Blackberry would have still been the phone to beat at the time so I would think that the first Android phones would have stayed with the Blackberry form factor.
Like it or not but Android wouldn’t have been what it is today without the iPhone to compete with.

Before I get called an iPhone troll you should know that I’ve been a smartphone user for more than 10 years and have used every platform out there and personally think Android is the best there is.

spicymeatball

My apologies for calling you a troll. Looks like you have your dates are right. The android os was started in 2003 but you’re right things could have gone the way of the Blackberry had iPhone not come along when it did.

Andrew

You do realize you are talking to two different people right? And don’t call me an apple fanboy, my username is googlelover for gods sake! I hate apple they have a horrible view on what they invented, with a disgusting legal practice, but you have to admit they *WERE* innovative, and if you look at the first prototype android device it was more like a blackberry than an iphone. I agree 100% with rockstar, he got it spot on.
Ps. I never said apple invented anything O.o

Aeires

People waited in line for the Galaxy Nexus and this is reported to be even better. Why not?

tq745

just hurry up and release the damn thing. and make it aosp without any carrier bloatware

http://twitter.com/gamercore Chris Chavez

And make it with 2GB of RAM………… and dispense chicken nuggets out of the USB port O_o

Marsg

The 2gb RAM seems very unlikely but the chicken nuggets now that’s a feature im looking forward to

Sean Daniel

It’s the Chick-fil-a edition.

LawrenceMcatee

and some waffle fries…

adam rubio

FOR FREE!!! >.<

setspeed

I don’t know… Samsung like to trump on specs, and what better way than to double the RAM! Here’s hoping that I can keep all my memory-hogging games in RAM all the time!

Mark

You can bet a plate of your moms booty this is going to be the best android this year. I’m ready

http://twitter.com/pvwashington Patrick Washington

Sorry but I wouldn’t bet the farm on that. I see a major dissapointment coming. Too much hype to live up to.

malcmilli

true, but even if its only slightly better than the GS2 (like an iphone 4s type of thing) it still puts it up in the top tier of android phones unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on what side of the fence you sit on.

setspeed

Too much hype, yes. But it WILL be the best Android phone of the year – what does it have to beat?

The One X – no external storage, sealed battery, crap battery life.
Sony Xperia S – awful ergonomics.
LG – dodgy software, no support.
Huawei – just entering the high-end market, will take a while before they find their feet.
Motorola – crap software, locked bootloaders, poor support.
Nexus – not due until the end of the year.
Pantech, ZTE, et al – don’t make me laugh.

So basically, Samsung have to f*ck up royally NOT to have the best phone of the year. They won’t disappoint, and the only way I’m not buying the S3 is if a high-end physical qwerty appears in the meantime (0% chance of that).

fahim5130

Props to Huawei for being a new player in the high end android market, and using their own 4core processor . I will definitly try it out.

Good luck to Samsung.. The “Keeping products secret until released” is patented.

spicymeatball

If I’m not mistaken there was a law suit that Samsung lost that stated that Apple had the right to view all upcoming plans for devices that Samsung had. So that Apple gets to know Samsung secrets. Not sure I read the article right but I wouldn’t put anything past Apple.

Novocain

2 Weeks before they launch it on the market -thats true, but i guess thats also the reason why samsung releases its products later in the usa… there is always a way to get around it xD

http://twitter.com/SaberMlayeh Saber MLayeh

damn right :)

Marsg

BTW i really doubt the galaxy s3 is going to have any physical or capacitive soft keys in the front.

Doan

I’m hoping not. ICS is designed to eliminate capacitive and physical buttons.

Jason Crumbley

But, is Touchwiz?

Marsg

I don’t see them doing away with Touchwiz anytime soon, hey but aren’t you glad its not sense

http://twitter.com/Mark_Lunney Mark Lunney

Not the current version, but I expect they’ll be revamping it for the S3.

ObasiS

I love how the in-article picture is a completely different render than the thumbnail. Ah, leakers, you amuse me.

http://twitter.com/weisheatan Calvin Tan Wei Shea

fast announce please !!!

Jayshmay

What’s the deal with these chicken nugget comments???

All I have to say is it better have NFC, microsd, and **REMOVABLE** battery!!!!!!

Marsg

Dint you hear there’s a rumor that its going to have a chicken nugget dispenser, pass it on

Papapau

No. but better.. Quad-core Exynos 4412.

Guest

umm gossip? how pathetic.. ughh

if the device is already in testing? why no leak? and will it be called galaxy s 3? i read somewhere that the galaxy note is the S3..

Marsg

The galaxy note has been out since like july-august of last year lol, deff not the galaxy s3

B2L

Not even close, the Galaxy Note was released at the end of October. The US version was released in February.

Marsg

I was thinking of when it was leaked, but still that’s a 7-8 month period, Samsung introduces a new galaxy s device in a yearly period, the Galaxy s was revealed in early march 2010 and the Galaxy s2 in late February of 2011, of course though the galaxy s3 is kind of late on arrival

B2L

I read the article you are talking about, it was mainly saying “Why wait for the GS3, the Galaxy Note is here now.” But it definitely isn’t the GS3.

I’m interested in knowing, what will you do with a removable battery? Change it and put some huge clunk of metal in the back of it? Wouldn’t it be better if they had a non-removable with an extra large battery? Hence the Razr Maxx?

DYNK

No. Still it would start losing its power and performance after 12months. Koreans like to keep 2batteries and have separate battery chargers so it won’t be a problem.

No_Nickname90

Ok. So if you don’t use the 2nd one, wouldn’t the 2nd once slowly start losing performance as well? Well it won’t be substantial so it’s ok. But then batteries are made to last 2 years, hence contract length.

But I can see your point though. I for one rather the extra large battery. I change my phone once to twice a year anyways.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=566335603 Charlie Berridge

The main reason for needing a removable battery is if you want to flash new firmware and get stuck in a bootloop, a battery pull can be the only way to get out of said bootloop.

jbo1018

You do know that all Android phones have a way to use the hardware buttons to force a reboot and another way to boot straight into the bootloader. From there you can acess recovery, fastboot, etc.. Typically, to force a reboot, you hold both volume buttons and then press and hold the power button.

No_Nickname90

The person who said all Android phones is being nice. Every electronic device that has a power button. You can literally hold the power button lyk 5-7 seconds to force a shutdown. Holding power button and Vol-Up on the E4GT forces power down and boot into recovery. So even in a boot loop. Saves time from taking my case off, taking the back off, and then finally reaching the battery only to put it back all on. LoL!!

fahim5130

i doubt it will have removable battery, but lets wait and see.

DavidVarghese

Lol, Apple is going to sue them for taking their technique…

Jay

So if they’re hiding the s3 in a case then its data would pop up in website logs right? And Android is basically Linux and Chrome beta is a mobile Linux build of Chrome, so couldn’t a script on a site poll device info through Chrome? To see what kernel version, ram, processor, etc is used…

DYNK

Why would they use chrome? Have you tried SGSII’s browser?
Its the fastest smartphone browser ever with hw enabled.
I’m sure sgsIII browser will be even faster

UniBroW

the browser is actually the one thing I dislike on my Epic Touch. It frequently crashes or stops working when viewing desktop sites. Very frustrating, although I’ve switched back to Dolphin mini for the most part now

Thomas Vales

why do companies do this ? I get that the want to make sure its perfect before showing it to the public but they could just make a couple working models and demo them at a press event. I seems really counter productive to keep stuff so tightly under wraps like thins, think of how many people got tired of waiting to see what it would have and just went ahead and got another device.

yami951

You’re right…it hasn’t worked for apple. Stupid technique.

malcmilli

iphone doesnt have any other ios competition, so its a little different. People either wait around for iphone 5 or they will buy iphone 4s now.

Samsung on the other hand could lose customers to HTC. I don’t know which method is more beneficial but they both have their cons.

Level380

Why do they do this? Gee lets see

– People find out a newer model is coming and stop buying the old model. So if they release details early and it won’t be onsale for upto 3-4 months away sales drop off to nothing in those places! = bad for business

– Releasing details early gives the competition a chance to adjust there units that are in the pipeline. If the SGSIII was coming out with 4GB of RAM, FM radio, built in TV turner and say HTC didn’t have these in the pipeline it gives them 3-4 months headstart in adjusting there products = bad for business

– vapourware, sometimes a feature is dropped cause its not ready intime, as such people get disappointed that xyz feature wasn’t included in the release. = bad for business

Doan

The masses do not follow this information the way we do. Your average Joe won’t know about the Galaxy S III until it’s been officially announced, and many won’t know about it until they see it in stores or their friends already have it.

dalegg

That is what Motorola did with the Bionic and look at how that turned out. Once you show it off, make it available like Apple does. I doubt if you will ever see a phone displayed and then made available eight months later like the Bionic.

Craig

I can not stand Samsung phones they feel cheap. I will be in line for my HTC Evo 4G LTE :)

LawrenceMcatee

+1 buddy I was waiting for june first to cancel and switch to att lte here in indy with the one x but then that beast was anounced….. sorry big orange.

JBrowne1012

Cheap? you have obviously never owned one these devices are made to be light because nothing is worse than carrying a huge brick in your pocket.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1047372886 Lorenzo Sanchez

I agree. While my SGS and SGSII Skyrocket were really sturdy, they felt cheaply made.

http://profile.yahoo.com/W57OK6OW657MMGIHBK2W2UVGM4 john

Samsung, stop trying to copy Apple. Come up with something original.

Doan

How dare Samsung keep tight-lipped on unreleased products. Only Apple has that right! No one has ever done this before Apple, nor shall anyone do it after Apple!

yungtris

you’re trolling right???

barondebxl

You’re an idiot if you didn’t know he was being sarcastic.

adi19956

in the 1964 book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” I’m sure you’ve seen the film, Willy Wonka talks about keeping products secret, so the way I see it Apple is copying Willy Wonka

Seung H Mun

Can Willy Wonka sue Apple?

adi19956

no, but I’m sure Apple will figure out a way to sue him

LawrenceMcatee

“maniacal leader with a bunch of little silly similarly dressed people that act exactly the same and have no actual creativity of their own other than to take orders from said maniacal leader.” yeah they might have a case.

xcelr8ion

I see another Apple lawsuit coming!

avenger

I wonder how many versions will be out for sgslll?

http://twitter.com/pvwashington Patrick Washington

Man this whole thing is about to be a huge fail……Especially for people in the states….by the time this thing is released on carriers, the SGS4 rumors will be full speed ahead. No thanks Sammy.

Treyhunnid

couldnt agree more. everyone expecting a super phone.
at most itll be on par with the latest releases and sport some new TW features. LOL

That ugly Samsung device that popped up last month appeared to have a temporary housing. I’m starting to believe my hunch that it was a tester for this device.

MrDSL

Being a long time HTC guy I want to thank Samsung for giving me the Galaxy Note. Best phone I have ever used.

Thank you for not being a douche like HTC

No locked bootloaders
No non removeable battery
No not giving me microsd option

Treyhunnid

lol, sammy also locks their bootloaders. Evenis the nexus is locked, but you can easily unlock it by pushing a simple unlock command. and Sammy doesnt at least release a ‘partial bootloader unlocking app’ for phones like HTC. its up to the community to exploit them for root and unlock it.

MrDSL

I actually have owned Samsung phones..They don’t lock their bootloaders.

moises1204

I see a law sue coming for the keeping thing secret patent.

IronHorse01

They have copied apple to the T in everything else, might as copy them on this too ;)

endinyal

When you can’t innovate, duplicate!! Samesung keeps proving that each and every time.

iPhart

HTC can not be “stealing Android hearts left and right” with poor battery life, not replaceable battery and no SD card support, no super AMOLED.
If HTS can steal iboys heards bacause they “don’t need” such things, by low :)